Okpe industrialists move to buy Sapele Power Station

By Emma Amaize
WARRI—INDUSTRIALISTS and other stakeholders in Sapele/Okpe community, Delta State, have expressed  interest in the  purchase of the Sapele Power Station, located in Sapele, which the Federal Government had put up for sale.

Vanguard learnt that stakeholders in Sapele/Okpe community became apprehensive about the planned sale, following unconfirmed information that there was a conspiracy by some highly placed government officials and privileged Nigerians so sell the power plant to themselves, using a select group of businessmen as fronts to the disadvantage of the people.

The community in a letter  entitled, “Expression of Interest to purchase Sapele Power Station”, to the Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, by the President of the Sapele Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Prince David Iweta, urged the Federal Government to make available the terms and conditions of the sale to the Chamber.

The Sapele Chamber boss said in the letter that he wished to “convey the strong desire of the Sapele/Okpe community industrialists and stakeholders to express our irrevocable interest to purchase the Sapele Power Station, should government wish to perfect her plans to sell the Power Station as reported in the media”.

He demanded that the investment arm of the Sapele Chamber of Commerce should be given the first right of refusal.

The community reminded the Vice President, “as you may be aware, the youths in the area have persistently disturbed easy flow of feedstock (gas) through the pipelines to the plant over the years but, with the purchase of the power station by Sapele community, where they are stakeholders, there is no doubt that constant supply of gas to the station would be guaranteed, as we intend to incorporate them into the core investment arm.”

“The Sapele Chamber has concluded plans to raise funds from both local and foreign sources and have identified highly experienced energy professionals to position ourselves as core investors to purchase the power stationtowards providing the energy requirement for the domestic and industrial need of the community and export the excess energy to the national grid.

It is worthy to mention that the Delta State government is willing to partner with the Chamber on our acquisition effort of the power station”, he added.